Facebook Messenger's camera fakes portrait mode photos

Facebook Messenger's camera just caught up to Instagram's in a few key areas, and then some. To start, you can snap software-based portrait mode photos -- if you don't have a dual-camera phone (or one with clever AI photography), you can still get that blurred background for your headshots. You can also shoot animated Boomerang loops if you want to capture a brief bit of movement without recording a whole video.

You'll also find a new batch of augmented reality stickers you can drop into your photos and videos. If you'd like a pig on your table, it's a couple of quick taps away. There's an abundance of holiday-themed filters and stickers as well. No, these features aren't about to pull you away from Instagram if you're a die-hard fan, but they will give you a consistent experience as you switch between Facebook's social apps.